The objective of the University of Michigan Center for Gastrointestinal Research (UMCGR) Administrative Core is to provide overall guidance, coordination and leadership for the Center. UMCGR Administrative Core leadership is provided by Dr. Chung Owyang, Director, and Drs. Juanita Merchant and M. Bishr Omary, Associate Directors, in conjunction with an Operations Committee, an Internal Advisory Committee, and an External Advisory Committee. The Operations Committee is comprised of the Director, at least one of the Associate Directors, at least one Core Director and other Center Investigators selected to serve three year renewable terms. The Operations Committee meets monthly and assists the Director in establishing the policies and plans of the Center and in reviewing the operations of the Center. On a yearly basis it reviews and approves all budgetary allocations as well as final allocations for Pilot/Feasibility Awards. The Internal Advisory Committee meets in formal sessions every year to review the operations and accomplishments of the Center and to provide counsel in areas of policy, administration, management and facilitates communication with institutional leaders to ensure that the Center remains responsive to overall institutional needs. The External Advisory Committee consists of five internationally prominent investigators who are leaders in digestive disease research and meets annually in person and by conference call as needed to provide regular feedback to the Executive Committee. An Administrator and Administrative Assistant provide the necessary support for real-time financial management and operations of the Center. The Executive Committee consists of the Director, both of the Associate Directors, the Administrator and Administrative Assistant and meets quarterly to plan and manage the UMCGR operations. The administrative leadership assures responsiveness of the UMCGR Cores to the needs of the Research Base and provides oversight for Core functions. UMCGR's many goals include the promotion of cutting edge digestive disease related research by: i) fostering collaborative, multidisciplinary research by expanding the technical and collaborative capabilities of established GI scientists and by attracting investigators from other disciplines; ii) implementing a robust Scientific Enrichment Program that includes research-in-progress seminars, academic workshops, an annual research retreat, and a semi-monthly visiting faculty seminar program; iii) nurturing new GI investigators via a peer reviewed, widely publicized Pilot and Feasibility Program; and, iv) promoting synergistic interaction between the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR), which houses the NIH-sponsored Michigan Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) and the Michigan Clinical Research Center (MCRU), the NIDDK funded Michigan Nutrition and Obesity Research Center (MNORC) and Michigan Diabetes Research Center (MDRC), and among other DDRCCs including the Midwest DDRCC Alliance.